Why can't Siri run the UKVI Contact Centre? I asked her and she just searched the web for me on why she can't. Admittedly, that's more than the UKVI Contact Centre will do (they tell you to search their website).

I did ask her how many Apple Store geniuses does it take to screw in a lightbulb though.

Received in the mail today a response from my MP, which included UKVI's response to his query.

Essentially they say 2 things:

1. It was our fault for not providing everything they wanted, and then not answering their first request for what they wanted, and the 2nd request only three days after it was sent.
2. They have 24 weeks to process the application not 12, so my wife's decision won't happen until November.

I wrote back to my MP - we did reply on the same day to the first extra document request and have the email receipts to prove it. We didn't see the requirement for 1 of the items because it was buried deep in an appendix we didn't know about and had already provided them with substitutes for in our original supporting documents and the 2nd item they said we hadn't provided we actually did - and not just for the prior 6 months but for 12!

Then the second request changed what they asked for, so we answered it the next day and not 3 days later, and it then took UKVI 20 days to acknowledge receipt!

Then I pointed out that everywhere else UKVI only refer to a 12 week deadline - including in their online processing calculator and their own reports on their service.

Then I finally pointed out that UKVI's calculations are wrong anyway, 24 weeks from our application date is October 26, not November, so UKVI are admitting they won't even make that service standard.

What an awful joke this process is.

Well trying to pull something positive out of your response they have admitted in writing that they got up to 24 weeks to make a decision so will be interesting to see if their is a purge in a few weeks time to get all of those outstanding applications done between Dec and May.

i have just received some positive news. Home office has just sent an email to pay the IHS fee for our daughter. I mentioned this to my MP in my letter so i reckon my MP,s intervention
is helping our case and is slowly chipping away and pushing them to get their finger out.

i have just received some positive news. Home office has just sent an email to pay the IHS fee for our daughter. I mentioned this to my MP in my letter so i reckon my MP,s intervention
is helping our case and is slowly chipping away and pushing them to get their finger out.

i have just received some positive news. Home office has just sent an email to pay the IHS fee for our daughter. I mentioned this to my MP in my letter so i reckon my MP,s intervention
is helping our case and is slowly chipping away and pushing them to get their finger out.

Good news. Hope you don't have to wait weeks to get decision like we have been doing, after that email.

Good news. Hope you don't have to wait weeks to get decision like we have been doing, after that email.

yes i was thinking of you when i received it. i will continue to push my MP whilst we have the momentum. i am not giving the Home Office any excuse to sit back again. in your case get back on to your MP if your using one. i am still positive for you. Do not forget the IHS ref number in any correspondence.

On a separate point, I just received a request for payment of my daughter's IHS surcharge!! I received that immediately after the following email to which I said "WTF?!?" Fingers crossed this is a sign of positive things to come!

Thank you for applying for a UK visa. Your visa application has been received and is under consideration. We aim to process non settlement applications within 15 working days (unless you have opted for the Priority Visa service), and settlement applications within 60 working days.

Unfortunately, the processing of your application has not been straightforward and we will be unable to decide your application within our customer service targets. We are continuing to work on your application and aim to make a decision as soon as possible.

We will write to you again if there is any change to this. Please do not attend the Visa Application Centre until you have been advised that your application has been decided and that your passport is ready for collection.

yes i was thinking of you when i received it. i will continue to push my MP whilst we have the momentum. i am not giving the Home Office any excuse to sit back again. in your case get back on to your MP if your using one. i am still positive for you. Do not forget the IHS ref number in any correspondence.

Yes, crossing fingers for both of us. My husband has written to his MP a couple of times but never heard back from him, perhaps because he's never heard back from Home Office. Just called UKVI to check the status, still "awaiting for decision".

Does anyone know how long it takes roughly for your passport to be returned after the decision is made?
While I was on the phone to UKVI I totally forgot to ask after the shock of being told a decision been made as I wasn't expecting it.
I got in touch with TLS contact to ask if they had any information about this as I'd received no correspondence from them and their so called 'real time online tracker' shows we are basically still in the queue. They said they have not yet received the passport back for processing. The decision must have been made between Monday and Wednesday this week.

Just out of curiosity...the UKVI helpline can't have told us the wrong info about thr status our application can they? It's just I've seen folk collect their passports just days after receiving notification their decision had been made. Just fretting a bit!

Well trying to pull something positive out of your response they have admitted in writing that they got up to 24 weeks to make a decision so will be interesting to see if their is a purge in a few weeks time to get all of those outstanding applications done between Dec and May.

Mine has crossed 37 weeks. So I don't believe in 24 weeks service standard. 😢
I rather have lost faith in UKVI. They don't have any standard at all.